pioneer tunnel coal mine & steam train

This is not the best marked place to locate but is worth finding. In August there is a Block Party in the park below the tour. Not to miss the home cooked food from local churches and fire companys .Look for BOGO coupons for the mine tour.

My friend and I stopped here on our annual roadtrip. We did the coal mine tour and the train ride tour. It was really interesting to get into the coal mine and learn how the mined it out years ago. Our tour guide was awesome and made the experience even better. After the mine tour, we went on the train ride. The conductors talked about the train and the mines. It was a simple yet interesting history lesson. A fun stop for all ages.

I was looking for an interesting stop on our road trip and found reviews for this site. We had visited coal mine sites but not an anthracite coal mine. I knew that tours of the mine were offered at certain times so we planned to arrive early enough to buy our tickets. While we waited for the tour, we looked around the gift shop which had a good selection of coal related items. The ride into the coal mine consisted of three cars with benches. It was a very bumpy, teeth jarring ride so be prepared. At one point, you get out to walk around a bit with the guide who was very informative. The mine is located across from a park so you can picnic there.

After having visited the Lackawanna Coal Mine, we decided to visit this site. Whereas at the Lackawanna Mine, you go down into the mine, at this site you travel horizontally into the mine. Since you are travelling into a mountain, you are actually 300 feet below the surface when the tram stops for the tour. The tour was very interesting and I learned a lot, especially that I am thankful that I am not a coal miner. The train wasn't running on the day of our visit. Try to visit when it is.

My husband and I had checked out of our bed and breakfast in Berks County that morning and were looking for something to do. I called ahead of time because we were over an hour away to make sure that it was open at the time and I asked the girl how often the coal mine rides ran because we had a tight schedule and had to leave by 2 PM because from there we were going to Lancaster county and thad things reserved. She assured me they ran every HALF hour. So, we drove over an hour to get there to find out they go every HOUR and that the coal mine ride that was just getting ready to leave was full, so we would have to wait a full hour. I was beyond irritated. We could have waited 30 minutes to get on one and still left at 2 in time to be where we needed to be, but we couldn't wait a whole hour. We then just decided to get lunch in the snack/cafe and it was ridiculous. For the prices they charge, they could at least give yous ome lettuce and tomato for your sandwich. My husbands chip cheesesteak was steak and cheese only and very greasy. We basically drove almost 2 1/2 hours total for nothing (to get there and then back). What a waste of time and gas. oh and we used the restroom before we left to get back on the road and the toilet seat was taped together with duct tape. How attractive. NOT.

My husband and I really enjoyed this tour. Our tour guide was very informative and really funny. It was so creepy to be so deep inside the mountain, and at one point they turn the lights out! Coal mining is obviously a very difficult job, and I have great respect for those who do it. This tour was definitely worth $10.

Me and a friend were doing a Sunday fall foliage drive up to through eastern Pennsylvania coal country. As we drove into Ashland we saw a peculiar statue. Its Whistler's Mother sitting in a chair...bizzare..but just the type of weirdness that I like. The town has a main drag that's very long. Its easy to see how this street was hopping back in the day. Then we looked up things to do and a tour of the Pioneer coal popped up. Yes! Let's do this. Its really cool you get in a people loader and descend into the coal mine. At the end of the descent everyone gets out and the guide explains how the coal was mined. Then the really cool part he shuts off the lights. Its a very very intense complete darkness with a touch of true primal fear. This is what being trapped in a coal mine in the dark is like. A little unsettling. Then all is back to normal. The lights are back on and your counting quietly to yourself until your back out of the mine.

We recently visited the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine where we donned jackets and rode a train into the tunnel where a guide told us about the rigors of coal mining. Be sure to wear a jacket or you will get cold since the temp averages 52 degrees. We had a large crowd of people on our tour so sometimes you had to wait to see what the tour guide was talking about but we were never rushed and had the time we needed to look at things. They also had a little snack bar where we bought a light lunch for a reasonable price. The gift shop was excellent and the attendants friendly and helpful.

Guide leaves out no information and he's great with kids. Very historical attraction with plenty of things to do.

Stopped here with grandchildren and I was amazed at how interested the kids were. Our guide was great with the kids and held their attention with his stories. The mine itself was great and showed what the conditions were like when it was in use. Definitely a lesson in how hard life was then. Glad we had the experience. Good idea to wear a jacket and long pants.

My kids were really amazed at the whole thing. Interesting but more importantly fun. About two hours start to finish for the train, the mine, and the gift shop.

Being born in the area and having family that worked in coal mining industry for years this was a great opportunity to show my teenage daughter what it used to be like. The mine tour was very interesting and the guide was very informative. Make sure you take a jacket, which we did, it is quite cool down there but a nice break in August.I wasn't impressed with the steam engine ride but it did stop in some scenic spots overlooking the valley. It was also an informative trip.

I had never been inside a coal mine before and found it extremely interesting. However if you are afraid of enclosed spaces, you should probably skip the underground trip (we had to back out as one guy freeked out shortly after the coal cars went into the tunnel). I found the history and processes quite interesting and our guide had previously been a coal miner. It was nice and cool on a hot July day (maybe 50*).What was really amazing to hear is how there is enough coal in PA to fuel the electricity in the US for the next 200 yrs or so, but most of it is being sold to China (with US regulations it is getting too expensive to turn into electricity here). After going in the mine, I wish we had also taken the train ride to see the strip mining, however we forgone the last trip of the day prior to going in the mine.

This was a great trip. I have been here in the past but finally got to take my whole family. The kids absolutly loved it. The train ride was rough but that's what comes with a 100 yr old train. The engineers really new there history they could answer every question that was thrown out at them. Sceenery just breath taking. The coal mine was great too. I think that was my kids favorite part. All the history about the mines and how the kids worked on the mines really caught their attention. Just need to go and check it out.

My family is from the Anthracite Coal Region of Pennsylvania, but my children are born and raised in Georgia. I wanted them to learn about the hard life my ancestors had working in the coal mines, so during a visit to my family in PA, we took them to the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine. My kids are 11 and 13 and love to learn by experiencing things. The mine tour starts out in an open coal train in which they added little benches for tourists to sit. Operating the train is a guide who is also a coal miner. The train enters into the side of the mountain and travels 1800 feet into the mountain; this is a horizontal drift mine. It is a narrow tunnel and except for a few dingy light bulbs it is rather dark. It is also wet and only 52 degrees year round. I would not advise this for anyone who is claustrophobic or afraid of the dark. For my family it was perfect to get the point across what it was like to have to go to work every day in a dark, damp tunnel. Once inside the mountain, we got out of the train and continued the tour on foot. Throughout the tour the miner/guide explained how coal is mined, and the history of the area. He also shared stories about the hardships the European immigrant miners and their families had to face and the extreme dangers they were exposed to every day. The tour lasted about 35 minutes, and we all enjoyed it very much. The fee was very reasonable and they have a nice gift shop. There were a lot of unique items and books about coal mining/the anthracite region. Many of the souvenirs were handcrafted by local artisans. My kids each brought back a piece of coal with them to Georgia to remind them of their ancestors. I lived in Pennsylvania until I was 22 and never thought of visiting any of the coal mines. It wasn't until I had children and realized that I want them to know about their family history that I decide to visit a mine. I suggest this experience for local families and tourists alike! Make sure to wear comfortable/durable walking shoes and bring a jacket!